Rent Expectations
by DanyaKat
Summary: AU The life of Harry Potter not as the Chosen One, but as an ordinary boy. Read what happens through life, love, and adventures at Hogwarts after Voldemort chooses Neville as the subject of the Prophesy.
1. Prologue

Thank you for giving this a chance! Hope you enjoy it. I don't own the rights.

* * *

Long, thin, pale hands grasped the white picket gate, touching the paint-chipped wood almost lovingly. This. This was what he had waited for months for. Now that the moment, his moment of triumph was here, he was filled with anticipation and satisfaction. Slowly, he opened the gate and glided up the cobblestone path. His black-robed arm raised high, swinging up as though shooing a bothersome fly. The door splintered and cracked apart loudly. A scream from the second story gave away the location of the person he was after. As he stepped over bits of wood and settling dust, a young woman came running from the kitchen to the left, a soapy hand holding her wand aloft. Recognition shone in her eyes. A flash of green light filled the room before the shocked, questioning look left the young woman's face; she lay dead on the floor, mouth still parted mid-exclamation.

The pale man made his way up the stairs slowly and quietly, enjoying the sounds of panic from the room at the end of the hallway. An old woman stood, back against a crib, wand held out in a shaking hand.

"What are you doing here! Go away! Leave us alone!" she yelled.

The man merely smiled a cold smile, eyes flitting to the child crying in the crib. "Give me the boy, woman. Give me the boy and Lord Voldemort will allow you to live."

"No!" The old woman reached a hand through the bars of the crib, gripping the boy securely to her back by the front of his pyjamas.

"Your way, then," he said in a bored tone. Wordlessly, he raised his wand and another flash of bright green light erupted around the room. The woman's head hit the crib with a sickening wet crack and she crumpled to the floor, hand still grasping her grandson's onesie.

At last, his bounty. Lord Voldemort looked upon the panicked child curiously, To think that this pathetic baby held Lord Voldemort's future in his small, fat fist.

Well, not for long.

Lord Voldemort raised his arm for the third time that night to perform the Killing Curse.

"Avada Kedavra—"

Green light illuminated the nursery yet again, and the sound of shattering glass and cracking wood filled his head for a split second, and then he was nothing. Lord Voldemort knew nothing but his own thoughts, heard nothing, felt nothing, smelt nothing, saw only black nothingness. He knew he was not dead, for surely his precious Horcruxes had held, he had not truly died.

Angry, he allowed himself a brief moment to release his anger. Had he had a body, a voice, he would have screamed. Had he had hands he would have held his wand high and destroyed everything in his midst. Being only consciousness without a body, he could do nothing but unleash his anger into the world, summoning some being to him to take over.

* * *

Later that night, Frank Longbottom apparated into his living room, exhausted from work. It took him a fraction of a second that felt like a full minute to realize that something was horribly wrong. The front door was laying in pieces around his living room and Neville was screaming from upstairs. Frank sped to the staircase and stopped short at the sight of the body of his wife lying by the kitchen doorway.

"Alice!" he yelled. He bent to touch her face, to close her eyes with his first and middle fingers. He stroked her hair and heard Neville scream once more, recognizing his father's voice. Frank took the stairs three at a time to the nursery.

Neville stood in his crib, arms out and crying for his father. Frank scooped up his son, cradling the baby's face into his neck. Looking down, the young man stared in shock at the figure of his mother on the ground.

"Mum," he whispered.

Neville lifted his head and looked to the ground. "Gran," he blubbered in his little baby voice. Frank could barely make out what he was saying, his son was crying so hard. Indeed, if he hadn't been used to the toddler's way of speaking, the way that parents of toddlers do, he wouldn't have understood what Neville was saying.

"It's all right, Nev. It'll be all right," he whispered. Frank looked at Neville, the only family he had left, and noticed for the first time how he was bleeding from his forehead. Frank grabbed up a cloth diaper from the changing table, wetted it with his tongue, and stroked it across his son's face, taking away the blood and dust and tears. He gasped softly when he lifted the cloth and saw his Neville's face.

There, on his forehead, was a thin, raised scar, stark white against the bruising on his head, and shaped like a lightning bolt.


	2. Platform 9 34

Thank you to everyone who read the prologue! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

Rent Expectations

Chapter One: Platform 9 3/4

James' head whipped around to the direction of the kitchen as a loud bang resonated throughout the house. He met the eyes of his son.  
"Run," he said. Harry bolted from the sofa, ran up the stairs to his room and hid in the wardrobe, shutting the doors quietly. He peered out of the crack as he listened to his mother and father yelling. He quieted his breathing as footsteps pounded up the stairs and into his room. A figure blacked out the crack of the wardrobe seconds before the doors were yanked open.

"Harry James Potter! Get downstairs and clean up that mess now! You too, Jason, Neville, I know you were behind this, too!" Lily tugged her son from the wardrobe by the shoulder. Harry saw his brother and his friend crawl out from under the bed. He grinned at them' Neville grinned back and Jason added a thumbs-up.

"You are worse than your father," Lily said to her sons. She rounded on Neville. "And you—I am going to make sure your father hears about this. Now all three of you get downstairs and clean up my kitchen!" Lily stormed from her son's bedroom and the three boys looked at each other for a moment before laughing hysterically.

"Oh God, I thought we were dead!" Neville choked out.

Harry punched Jason in the shoulder. "I told you to wait for me, you kneazle turd!"

"Ow! Don't blame me, the timer was faulty! George told you it was only a prototype."

"Yeah, but wait till we tell them what happened! I caught a glimpse as I was running up the stairs, the kitchen floor's covered in foam."

Lily's voice called up from the kitchen, "boys! Now! They're going to be here soon! James, stop smirking like that, they get it entirely from you, you know. I'm not looking forward to the letters McGonagall is going to be sending us."

Harry and the two other boys barreled downstairs, grabbing rags form the linen closet as they went. On hands and knees they mopped up the foam from the tile floor. Jason held up a small pellet.

"Hey, here it is! Yeah, look at the timer—it went off two minutes early."

"Jason!" Harry and Neville moaned as Lily plucked the black object from her youngest child.

"You three," she pointed menacingly at the boys, "are not to spend any more time alone with Fred or George." She pocketed the prank and pulled her wand out, sending the towels on the floor back to the laundry area, just off the kitchen. She looked at Harry. "Are you all packed?" she asked.

"Nearly," he lied. In truth, he hadn't packed anything but his books, which had gone into his trunk sight unseen.

His mum saw through him of course. "Get it finished. We're going at nine a.m. on the dot."

Harry and Neville rushed back up the stairs and into Harry's bedroom. Jason tried to sneak in, but Harry closed the door in his face. Jason pounded on it.

"Go away! Hogwarts students only!"

"You're not at Hogwarts yet!"

"I'm closer to it than you are!"

"Mu-u-u-u-um!"

"Jason, leave them alone!"

Neville flopped onto Harry's bed and stared at the poster of the Hollyhead Harpies on his ceiling. "I just know I'm going to be in Hufflepuff," he said.

Harry looked over from his wardrobe and back. He pulled a few shirts and jeans from it and tossed them into his trunk with a few pair of socks and undergarments. "I know what you mean. Look at my room," Harry gestured around his red and gold-trimmed bedroom. "Dad painted it before I was even born." Harry took his new robes with the Hogwarts crest patch, folded them almost reverently, and placed them in his trunk. "I don't want to hear it from him or my uncles if I'm not in Gryffindor." A few things from around his room went into the trunk, quills and parchment and a couple of pictures and posters.

"Everyone's going to know who I am," Neville said in almost a whisper. He ran his fingers over his lightning scar self-consciously. "What if the Slytherins hate me? I mean more than Slytherins hate any other non-Slytherin. Dad said the Malfoy boy is starting this year."

Both boys looked at each other, offering a moment of silent camaraderie, then Harry turned to his trunk. After a minute of trying to close it, he waved Neville over. "Here. Sit on it and I'll latch it."

* * *

The doorbell rang throughout the house. Beth thundered down the stairs and threw the door open.

"Uncle Remy! Uncle Sirius!" she threw herself at her uncles, then grabbed Remus' hand and began to tug him upstairs. "Come see my room!"

"I've seen your room, princess," he feigned exasperation.

"Not since I got my new posters!"

Sirius laughed at his partner and gave his hand a last squeeze before letting go. "Have fun," he chuckled.

"Traitor," Remus mouthed, as he let himself be led up the stairs by his 9-year-old niece.

Sirius let himself into the kitchen, tossing his coat on the back of a chair on the island. Without turning from the stove, Lily scolded him. "Sirius, you know exactly where the coat closet it."

"Yes, it's in the front hall."

"Lily sent him a scathing look. Sirius laughed and flicked his wand, sending his coat into the hall closet.

"Where is everyone?" Sirius asked, looking around the open kitchen and living room.

"James took Harry and Neville to the store to pick up some bread. They should be back in a moment. Where's Remus?"

"Your daughter kidnapped him."

"Ah. Yes, she had a new Weird Sisters poster that she's particularly proud of. Jason's in the garden if you want to go to him. Maybe you could talk to him. He's having a hard time with Harry leaving."

Sirius pecked his friend on the cheek as he made his way out back through the living room. "Sure thing, Lily."

As Sirius closed the back door, Remus appeared in the kitchen and helped himself to a glass of water.

"Good evening, Lily. How are you?"

"Just fine, Remus. James and the boys will be home short—oh, there they are."

"Mum! They here yet?" Harry called from the hall. Lily heard the thunk of her son's boots hitting the back of the hall closet as he kicked them off, and smiled. She would miss that sound, no matter how often she barked at him not to do it.

"Sirius and Remus are." She gave her husband a kiss. "Peter fire-called. Said he's going to be late off work, but to go ahead without him. He'll be here in time for pudding."

"'Kay. Where's Beth and Jason?"

"Beth's in her room. Jason's in the garden with Sirius. Bread?"

James handed his wife a paper bag with a baguette in it. "Here you are, my lady. Rem, how's work?"

Harry and Neville rolled their eyes at the adults and Harry pulled a game of Exploding Snap from the cupboard in the livin room.

"Boys, do that in the bedroom, please. I just cleaned the den and don't want to have to pick up any more pieces of cards."

Harry lost dismally twice by the time the doorbell rang again.

"That's probably my dad," Neville said. He and Harry ran to the front hall, where James was answering the door.

"Frank! Mary, hello!"

"hello, James. How was everything?" Mary asked.

"Just fine, though Lily will have a different opinion."

"Oh?" Frank asked.

James turned to his son and Neville. "It seems that the Weasley twins have been testing out their merchandise. The kitchen floor was covered in bright turquoise foam this afternoon."

Frank sent his son a withering look. "Really, Neville?"

Neville just grinned. "We cleaned it up."

"I'm going to get an owl from the school in just the first week about how you two have already broken twenty rules each."

"Nebba!" Shay squirmed in her mother's arms. Mary put her down and the two-year-old toddled to her brother. Neville bent over and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hair. "Hey, Sissy. You hungry?" Neville turned toward the kitchen with his sister on his hip, everyone else forgotten.

Harry smiled after them. Neville revolved around his little sister. He was worried about how his best friend would do for nine months away from her. She had been born only six months after Neville's dad and step-mom married. Neville, whose mum had been killed by You-Know-Who when he was a baby, had been excited to get a mum and a sibling all at once. He and Harry had grown up together and were best friends. While the wizarding world worshipped Neville for defeating the Dark Lord Voldemort, Neville had always been just Neville, his best friend, practically his brother.

"Harry? Would you get the high chair out from under the stairs please? Make sure it's dusted off? Thanks," James added. He took frank and Mary's coats and hung them in the hall closet.

Harry grimaced, but did as he was asked. The cupboard under the stairs creeped him out. he hated it, all dark and damp and full of spiders. He quickly grabbed up the high chair and brought it into the kitchen. He wiped the dust off the seat and tray with a washcloth and Neville put Shay into the seat.

"Dinner is ready, everyone! James! Be a good husband and help set the table," Lily called. James and Remus set the plates and silverware you. Lily placed the meal on the table—Harry's favorite, salmon steaks and roasted potatoes. The table was nearly silent as the Potter family and extended family tucked in to the delicious meal.

Lily had magicked the empty plates to the sink and was just beginning to dish up treacle tarts and ice cream when the doorbell rang yet again. James flicked his wand toward the door, which opened. "C'mon in, Peter!" he called.

The door shut and a portly, balding man game into the dining room. He smiled, flashing crooked, graying teeth.

"Wormtail! Have a seat!" Sirius said.

"Beth, can I have some help in here, please?" Lily called from the kitchen. Beth rose from the table and snuck past Peter quickly.

Harry listened to the chatter of adults around him. He would miss his family while he was at Hogwarts. He wondered how Jason would het on without him. He was going into second grade this year; Beth was starting her fourth.

And he, Harry, was going to be in his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nine months away from his family, not including Christmas and Easter hols. As excites as he was—and he'd never admit this to anyone, ever—he was terrified about being away from his mother for that long.

With that thought, Lily and Beth appeared from the kitchen, carrying two trays—his mother's held glasses of wine and sparkling cider, while Beth's bore bowls of dessert. James charmed the glasses to float to each member of the table, and he stood, holding his aloft. "To Harry and Neville, as they start their new adventures at Hogwarts!"

Everyone raised their glasses and drank.

* * *

Harry woke with a grunt as Beth landed on his chest.

"Wake up!" she screeched.

"Was that quite necessary?" Harry's voice was hoarse from sleep.

"Yes! Come on. We're leaving in an hour and a half, and you know Mum's going to throw a fit if we're not on time."

Harry cracked his eyes open and looked at his sister, still sitting on his chest. She chewed her lip nervously.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I'm going to miss you," Beth said. "It won't be the same."

"I'll be home at Christmas. And you only have two years and you'll be at Hogwarts, too."

Harry studied his sister. Her neck was bright red in a blush.

"You're lying. What else is wrong?"

"No, I'm not. Nothing." She got off of Harry and flipped the light switch, blinding her brother. "Get up. Dad's cooking breakfast and you know he does the bacon better than Mum. I won't save you any."

She shut the door behind her and Harry sat up in his bed and rubbed his face with his hands. It was no use trying to get Beth to tell him what was wrong. She'd never tell until she was ready. She could hold a secret like no one's business—she was like their mum in that way. Looked like her, too, with green eyes and red hair. Jason looked like their father, with black hair and blue eyes and the dimple in his cheek when he smiled. Harry…well, he looked like a perfect mix of the two of them, with his father's looks in his mother's face shape, with her eyes and his father's hair. His parents didn't know, but he'd heard them talking about having another baby. He supposed it would be all right. After all, after this year he would be gone nine months out of the year, and he could share a room with Jason for the other three. It would be good for his mum to have another baby after all three of them were in school in four years.

A loud knock interrupted his thoughts and Harry jumped.

"If you miss the train, we are not taking you all the way up to bloody Scotland! Move it, Harry!" Lily called.

Harry rolled his eyes and jumped up.

An hour and fifteen minutes later, Harry stood in front of the fireplace, showered and dressed in muggle clothes, trunk packed. His mother charmed his school things to be smaller and lighter and put them in her coat pocket. A handful of green powder and a trip up the flue later, and Harry stood in the Leaky Cauldron. He was shortly followed by his family.

"Come on, we need to go. Harry needs to be on that train in a half hour."

The family walked for a few blocks to King's Cross Station.

Harry kept his eyes on the platform numbers' he beamed when he saw barriers nine and ten. They stopped in front of the steel wall of barrier nine.

"There you are, Harry. Go on. You first," James said, lookin proud and excited.

Harry drew himself up, checked to make sure no muggles were watching, and strode purposefully toward the barrier, eyes closed tight.

He opened his eyes to a whole new world. A great scarlet steam engine billowed in front of him. His smile must be permanently etched on to his face, he thought. his family materialized in front of him, a trolley with his trunk pushed by James. Jason sat on his dad's shoulders, looking around the station in awe.

"Alright, James, will you load Harry's trunk? Molly said she's—oh, there they are. Molly!" Lily grabbed Harry and Beth's hands and tugged them toward the Weasleys. Harry yanked his hand away, embarrassed. He waved at his friend, Ron, who was trying to escape his mother, attempting to wipe away something from his face.

They talked for a few minutes, during which Lily told Molly about the foam and Molly yelled at her sons a bit.

James and Jason found them just as the warning whistle blew form the train.

"Right, everyone, let's get a move on. Harry, have a good term, we'll see you at Christmas. Do well. Have fun. For Merlin's sake keep out of trouble," Lily talked as she walked along, herding her son toward the train.

"Say hi to Hagrid for us. Write us and let us know how Gryffindor is," James added.

Lily hugged Harry and then James took his turn. "Love you," they said together. Harry bent to hug his brother and sister.

"Love you, too. I'll write tonight. Bye!"

James and Lily waved as Harry got onto the train. He snatched one last glimpse of his family, then turned into the corridor to find a seat. He peered into each compartment and eventually found Neville, who was sitting already with Ron and a blonde girl Harry didn't' recognize.

"Hey, guys," he said, opening the compartment door and stepping inside.

"Hi, Harry, " Neville greeted him. He pointed to the blonde girl sitting beside him at the window. "This is Luna."

Luna turned her head and they waved at each other. She had wide blue eyes and wavy long blonde hair. She looked almost ethereal.

Harry sat next to Ron, across from Luna, and peered out the window. The train whistle blew and the train lurched—they were on their way.

Harry searched for his family as the train started. He thought he caught a flash of Beth's auburn hair, but someone stepped in the way and she was gone. Harry leant back into his seat and shared a knowing smile with the three other first-years with him, settling in for the ride to Hogwarts.


End file.
